1. Title, director and release year?
Energy Crossroads
Chris Fauchere, Tiroir A Films Productions
2007
2. What is the central argument or narrative of the film?
The film discusses how we are using fossil fuels way too much for our productive, transportation and general comfort of life. We are using it for everything in our life and it’s a source that we’re going to run out of: it took the Earth millions of years to make fossil fuels and in 150 years we have used over half of the supply. It is solely humans that have taken this fossil fuel and abused it for our own personal use, but this movie does give many solutions on how we can replace our dependency on fossil fuels.
3. What sustainability problems does the film draw out?
- Consumption o Now in American culture everyone wants to have the best and biggest on their block. This means that houses are getting bigger, people want more heat and air conditioning, and with all of this expansion and need for total comfort, the landfills are filling up with trash at an alarming rate. o We have become a throwaway and wasteful society that takes our comforts for granted and strives to get more and more
4. What parts of the film did you find most persuasive and compelling? Why?
- Fossil fuels produce 85% of the energy in the US and our economy is based on fossil fuels o This is so alarming because we know that we are going to run out, but we are so reliant on fossil fuels and are not thinking into the future. We may not run out in our lifetime, or in the lifetime of the CEO’s of the big oil companies, but eventually there won’t be any oil, and these huge corporations will be broke if they don’t find alternative ways to make energy
- It took millions of years for the Earth to make fossil fuels, and we have used over half of the supply in just 150 years o It’s hard to believe that we could use so much of it so fast, but with the way that Americans waste oil, it does seem possible. The amount of SUV’s and the lack of car pooling and public transportation in this country makes it believable that we seriously contributed to destroying that half
- Americans believe that “cheap energy was an American birth-right” o This was said in the movie and it makes sense. When it’s hot we turn the air conditioning on until we are comfortable, and when we’re cold we turn the heat on until we’re comfortable o We drive inefficiently and public transportation isn’t used to its potential, this also brings up the problems of suburbia
- Oil is 40% of the world’s energy and we are continuously depleting the source o Peak oil production- when the oil will be depleting and the population will be increasing § We will reach peak oil production soon, and when we do there is really no turning back, we will have to have found alternatives to fossil fuels o In 1973 we learned of the harmful dependency on our oil and the rate that were depleting the source at that time § Why did we not learn this lesson at this time? People weren’t able to get gas for their cars on certain days and they really had to cut back on their use of oil § This happened again with Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and we still didn’t learn
- The pictures of the satellite data of the ice caps over a period of time, and how they’re melting at such a huge rate o This starts topics like how the oceans might raise and how we are putting the animals in danger that live on these glaciers that are melting. Plus this is going to dump massive amounts of fresh water into salt water, putting salt water animals into serious danger. o Global warming has also created a weather phenomena, where there are less hurricanes and storms, but the ones that do come around are much more powerful because the warmer ocean temperatures change how they are formed and make them much more powerful
5. What parts of the film were you not compelled or convinced by?
- It was kind of a random group of people that were talking and I was sometimes confused why I was listening to their opinion. At one point they had a retired Navy captain speaking on energy, and why is his opinion important?
- There were too many scenes of random pictures that didn’t really seem to relate to what they were talking about at that time, it would just be a random collection of landfills when they would talk about pollution o It would have been more beneficial if they used specific examples instead of just generalized problems
- I wasn’t convinced how they talked about the energy problem being a state issue and that it needs to be handled by the states o It is a world-wide problem that the federal government needs to take hold of and really deal with, on a state level o I don’t really believe that such an extreme change can be done, especially in some of the more conservative states § For example, I highly doubt that West Virginia is going to have a massive energy overhaul that’s necessary for their area at the state level
6. What additional information does this film compel you to seek out? Where do you want to dig deeper and what connections do you want to make with other issues, factors, problems, etc.?
- I’m interested in more information on the oil crisis in 1973
- What exactly were the causes, situation, and solution and why did we not learn anything from it?
- How can the Federal government get involved?
- The third generation of photovoltaic’s sound extremely interesting and really hopeful for solar energy- they can be in paints and glass that can be used right in the construction of the house
7. What audiences does the film best address? What kind of imagination is fostered in viewers? Do you think the film is likely to change the way viewers think about and act on environmental problems?
This movie was made for a more widespread audience, more for the public than for people that are trying to study sustainability topics. It never went into too much detail about projects or the actual sustainable problems on an academic level. The movie touched on different topics and showed images of pollution and problems with the energy situation, but it never went into too much detail, especially with the solutions.
8. What kinds of action or points of intervention are suggested by the film?
There were many topics that the movie talked about for options to replace fossil fuels:
- Wind power- it could be cheaper than fossil fuels and it would be a good natural source
- Solar power- there is a third generation of technology that can be very effective
- Biodiesel- it can’t be substituted 1-for-1 with fossil fuels because there isn’t enough area for crops, but it is a good way to help alleviate the problem
There’s technology for all of these types of energy replacements, but there just isn’t the political infrastructure to support these changes.
- There needs to be a reduction in demand, making energy more effective
- Redesigning cars, changing the design so that they are more aerodynamic and more efficient with their energy use
- Rethinking cities, there is too much transportation with suburbia, and the houses that are there are not efficient in their energy consumption
- Recycle better- this could save so much waste and put pressure on companies that use wasteful materials
- By not mixing trash it can divert 90% of trash to landfills
9. What could have been added to this film to enhance its environmental educational value?
- It would have helped if there was more science based information and less of the people’s opinions and stories, especially when they already seemed like a random group of people that were being interviewed
- Also, I would have liked if they went more in detail about some of the solutions that they proposed. They really just mentioned some of the topics and didn’t talk about how it could feasibly be done.
Energy Crossroads
Chris Fauchere, Tiroir A Films Productions
2007
2. What is the central argument or narrative of the film?
The film discusses how we are using fossil fuels way too much for our productive, transportation and general comfort of life. We are using it for everything in our life and it’s a source that we’re going to run out of: it took the Earth millions of years to make fossil fuels and in 150 years we have used over half of the supply. It is solely humans that have taken this fossil fuel and abused it for our own personal use, but this movie does give many solutions on how we can replace our dependency on fossil fuels.
3. What sustainability problems does the film draw out?
- Consumption
o Now in American culture everyone wants to have the best and biggest on their block. This means that houses are getting bigger, people want more heat and air conditioning, and with all of this expansion and need for total comfort, the landfills are filling up with trash at an alarming rate.
o We have become a throwaway and wasteful society that takes our comforts for granted and strives to get more and more
4. What parts of the film did you find most persuasive and compelling? Why?
- Fossil fuels produce 85% of the energy in the US and our economy is based on fossil fuels
o This is so alarming because we know that we are going to run out, but we are so reliant on fossil fuels and are not thinking into the future. We may not run out in our lifetime, or in the lifetime of the CEO’s of the big oil companies, but eventually there won’t be any oil, and these huge corporations will be broke if they don’t find alternative ways to make energy
- It took millions of years for the Earth to make fossil fuels, and we have used over half of the supply in just 150 years
o It’s hard to believe that we could use so much of it so fast, but with the way that Americans waste oil, it does seem possible. The amount of SUV’s and the lack of car pooling and public transportation in this country makes it believable that we seriously contributed to destroying that half
- Americans believe that “cheap energy was an American birth-right”
o This was said in the movie and it makes sense. When it’s hot we turn the air conditioning on until we are comfortable, and when we’re cold we turn the heat on until we’re comfortable
o We drive inefficiently and public transportation isn’t used to its potential, this also brings up the problems of suburbia
- Oil is 40% of the world’s energy and we are continuously depleting the source
o Peak oil production- when the oil will be depleting and the population will be increasing
§ We will reach peak oil production soon, and when we do there is really no turning back, we will have to have found alternatives to fossil fuels
o In 1973 we learned of the harmful dependency on our oil and the rate that were depleting the source at that time
§ Why did we not learn this lesson at this time? People weren’t able to get gas for their cars on certain days and they really had to cut back on their use of oil
§ This happened again with Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and we still didn’t learn
- The pictures of the satellite data of the ice caps over a period of time, and how they’re melting at such a huge rate
o This starts topics like how the oceans might raise and how we are putting the animals in danger that live on these glaciers that are melting. Plus this is going to dump massive amounts of fresh water into salt water, putting salt water animals into serious danger.
o Global warming has also created a weather phenomena, where there are less hurricanes and storms, but the ones that do come around are much more powerful because the warmer ocean temperatures change how they are formed and make them much more powerful
5. What parts of the film were you not compelled or convinced by?
- It was kind of a random group of people that were talking and I was sometimes confused why I was listening to their opinion. At one point they had a retired Navy captain speaking on energy, and why is his opinion important?
- There were too many scenes of random pictures that didn’t really seem to relate to what they were talking about at that time, it would just be a random collection of landfills when they would talk about pollution
o It would have been more beneficial if they used specific examples instead of just generalized problems
- I wasn’t convinced how they talked about the energy problem being a state issue and that it needs to be handled by the states
o It is a world-wide problem that the federal government needs to take hold of and really deal with, on a state level
o I don’t really believe that such an extreme change can be done, especially in some of the more conservative states
§ For example, I highly doubt that West Virginia is going to have a massive energy overhaul that’s necessary for their area at the state level
6. What additional information does this film compel you to seek out? Where do you want to dig deeper and what connections do you want to make with other issues, factors, problems, etc.?
- I’m interested in more information on the oil crisis in 1973
- What exactly were the causes, situation, and solution and why did we not learn anything from it?
- How can the Federal government get involved?
- The third generation of photovoltaic’s sound extremely interesting and really hopeful for solar energy- they can be in paints and glass that can be used right in the construction of the house
7. What audiences does the film best address? What kind of imagination is fostered in viewers? Do you think the film is likely to change the way viewers think about and act on environmental problems?
This movie was made for a more widespread audience, more for the public than for people that are trying to study sustainability topics. It never went into too much detail about projects or the actual sustainable problems on an academic level. The movie touched on different topics and showed images of pollution and problems with the energy situation, but it never went into too much detail, especially with the solutions.
8. What kinds of action or points of intervention are suggested by the film?
There were many topics that the movie talked about for options to replace fossil fuels:
- Wind power- it could be cheaper than fossil fuels and it would be a good natural source
- Solar power- there is a third generation of technology that can be very effective
- Biodiesel- it can’t be substituted 1-for-1 with fossil fuels because there isn’t enough area for crops, but it is a good way to help alleviate the problem
There’s technology for all of these types of energy replacements, but there just isn’t the political infrastructure to support these changes.
- There needs to be a reduction in demand, making energy more effective
- Redesigning cars, changing the design so that they are more aerodynamic and more efficient with their energy use
- Rethinking cities, there is too much transportation with suburbia, and the houses that are there are not efficient in their energy consumption
- Recycle better- this could save so much waste and put pressure on companies that use wasteful materials
- By not mixing trash it can divert 90% of trash to landfills
9. What could have been added to this film to enhance its environmental educational value?
- It would have helped if there was more science based information and less of the people’s opinions and stories, especially when they already seemed like a random group of people that were being interviewed
- Also, I would have liked if they went more in detail about some of the solutions that they proposed. They really just mentioned some of the topics and didn’t talk about how it could feasibly be done.